Honey capping melter



Aug. 29, 1950 w. T. BRAND HONEY CAPPING MELTER Filed March 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 29, 1950 W. T. BRAND 2,520,304

HONEY CAPPING MELTER Filed March 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W/L//w Z" /PA/v,

s BY 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATE/s PATENT OFFICE HONEY CAPPING MELTER l William T. Brand, Beemer, Nebr. v'Application March 4, 1947, serial No. 732,281

4' Claims'. (Cl. ZIO-52.5)

This invention relates toa honey capping meltl-loney is extracted from combs by slicing the tops from the latter witha heated knife. These tops, known as cappings, consist principally of wax with a percentage of honey adhering thereto. This invention relates to a device for melting the cappings and separating the wax from the honey so that both may be recovered.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a ydevice of this character which will rapidly and completely separate the wax from the honey in a continuous operation without clogging and without overheating or scorching the honey.

Ano her object of the invention is to so construct the device so that it will require but a miniof attention on the part of the operator and will be economical to operate, and so that the recovered honey will not be contaminated with wax, slum-gum, or other impurities.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiiicienoy. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description f the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in al1 views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved capping melter;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section of a heating grid employed in the melter; and

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detail section through a typical heating grid tube taken in the line 5-6, Fig. 1.

The melter comprises an open pan I5, preferably but not necessarily rectangular in crosssection. The pan is provided at its intake extremity with an upwardly extending receiving hopper I i extending the full width thereof.

A heating grid, consisting of a plurality of parallel metallic tubes I2, extends from the hopper il to the discharge extremity of the pan. The tubes I2 extend between two steam headers i3 and id which are removably suspended from the sides of the pan upon suitable hangers I5.

The headers are constructed to provide internal connecting passages I6 which connect the tubes in pairs and provide a continuous alternating path of flow through the adjacent tubes. The tubes themselves are iiattened vertically to present a maximum of heating surface at the sides thereof.

The heating grid is positioned-horizontally -iust below the top of the pan IIJ and is supplied with live steam from any suitable source through intake hose nipples I'l, one being positioned at each extremity of the header i4. The steam and condensate discharge from the mid-point of the header I4 through a discharge conduit I8 to a hot Water compartment I9.

The compartment I9 is formed by placing an inclined sub-bottom 20 in the pan I0 immediately below the discharge of the hopper I l. The water overflows from the compartment I9 through a discharge nipple 2|.

A honey receiving chamber 22 is formed on one extremity of the pan I0 and communicates with the interior of the latter through a submerged honeyoutlet 23. A baffle plate 24 extends across the pan I8 in front of the honey outlet 23. The baffle plate 24 terminates above the bottom of the pan I0 and below the grid as shown in Fig. 2. A wax outlet 25 is provided in the discharge extremity of the pan Ill above the heating grid and a honey overow 28 is positioned in the wall of the honey chamber 22, immediately below the heating grid. It is preferred to have the bottom of the Wax outlet 25 in line with the top of the grid, and the bottom of the honey overflow 26 in line with the bottom thereof.

In use, the comb cappings are dumped in the hopper II and descend into the hot honey over the hot sub-bottom 2D. This partially softens and initiates the melting of the wax. The melted wax and the unmelted portions thereof then rise to the surface of the honey between the heated tubes I2. This completes the melting thereof and the melted wax flows off through the outlet 25. No Wax can reach the submerged honey outlet 23 due to its difference in specic gravity and to the baffle plate 24 which prevents submerged wax pieces from being carried to the honey chamber 22.

The water for the hot water compartment I9 is supplied by the condensation of the steam in the tubes I2. It will be noted that the process is continuous and that wax and honey will ilow from the melter as rapidly as the cappings are deposited in the hopper II. A clean-out-plug 21 is provided for the nal clean out of the entire device.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is: 1. A honey capping melter comprising: an open pan of greater length than Width and having intake and discharge extremities; a hopper supported over said pan at the intake extremity thereof; a heating grid extending from said hopper to the discharge extremity of said pan and adjacent the top thereof; a honey receiving chamber on said pan at the discharge extremity; a honey outlet communicating between the pan and said chamber below the solution level of said pan; a honey overflow from said chamber positioned below the general plane of said grid; and a wax outlet from said pan having itsV intake positioned above the general plane of said grid. 2. A honey capping melter comprising: an open pan of greater length than width and having intake and discharge extremities; a hopper supported over said pan at the intake extremity thereof: a heating grid extending from said hopper to the discharge extremity of said pan and adjacent the top thereof; a 'honey receiving chamber on saidpan at the discharge extremity; a honey overflow from said chamber positioned below the general plane of said grid; a honey outlet communicating betweenthe pan and said chamber below the level of said overflow; a wax outlet from said pan positioned above the general plane of saidV grid, said grid consisting of plurality of parallel tubes extending longitudinally of said pan; and a header at each extremity of said tubes supporting and connecting each tube with the next adjacent tube.

3. A honey capping melter comprising: an open pan of greater vlength than width and having an intake and a discharge extremity; a hopper supported over said pan at the intake extremity thereof; a heating grid extending from said hopper to the discharge extremity of said pan and adjacent the top thereof; a honey receiving chamber on said pan at the discharge extremity; and a honey overflow from said chamber positioned below the general plane of said grid; a honey outlet communicating between the pan` and said chamber below the level of said overflow, said tubes being flattened transversely so as to have a greater height than width.

4. A honey capping melter comprising: an open pan; a feed hopper supported over said pan to discharge therein; an open heated grid suspended horizontally in said pan adjacent the top thereof and alongside of .said hopper; a honey receiving chamber adjacent said pan; a passage communicating between said pan and said chamber at substantially the mid-height of said pan for transferring honey from'said pan to said chamber; a wax outlet from said pan positioned at an elevation above said grid; and a honey overflow from said chamber positioned at an elevation below said grid. l

WILLIAM T. BRAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 707,691 Gerrard Aug. 26, 1902 999,147 Bonine July 25, 1911 1,554,092 Holmes Sept. 15, 1925 1,682,535 Offenhauser Aug. 28, 1928 1,702,612 Morse Feb. 19, 1929 2,111,748 Brand Mar. 22, 1938 2,248,893 Parent Jfuly 8, 1941 

